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Thursday, April 10, 2008

Powerful...Possibly Powdery...Prayer Prompters

"The King is enthralled by your beauty; honor Him, for He is your Lord." Psalm 45:11 (NIV)

Let me just confess first thing that I do not know if that verse literally speaks of the King or the king, Him or him, He or he, Lord or lord. The capital letters are mine. No matter how it was intended by the Psalmist, it is true of our King! He is enthralled by your beauty and He is your Lord! And we should honor Him.

In my last post, I mentioned a little multitasking in regard to our morning prayer time. The next morning, I was applying it as I applied my makeup. I just jotted down a few thoughts that might serve as helpful Prayer Prompters! (I love alliteration!!)

Let's begin the makeover!

Begin with a clean face...obviously. We also need to begin with a clean heart. Pray Psalm 51:1-2,10. "Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. Create in me a pure heart, O God...." Confess your sin to Him and have your heart cleansed.

Moisturize!!! Fight being wrinkled and withered! In Luke 8:6 (The Parable of the Sower) it says, "the plants withered because they had no moisture." We are "a planting of the Lord for the display of His splendor." (Isaiah 61:3b) Pray to be "like a well-watered plant in the sunshine, spreading its shoots over the garden." (Job 8:16) To be well-watered, we need to pray to be filled with the Holy Spirit, with the One who pours into us His Living Water.

Time for foundation. First, you can thank Him for "covering your blemishes"...literally and figuratively through His mercy and grace, and Jesus' blood that was shed for you. Next, using Isaiah 33:6 which says, "He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the Lord is the key to this treasure," thank Him for your salvation and pray for wisdom and knowledge in all that He has in store for your day...for your spouse's day, for your child's day, for your friend's day. And remember, as Scripture tells us in Matthew 7:25 and Luke 6:48, Jesus is our Rock, our firm foundation that will hold strong when the rains of life come down, when the streams of life rise to flood stage and threaten to drown us, when the winds of life blow and seem determined to beat us down. He is our "rock," our "fortress," our "deliverer," and the One in whom we can take refuge. (Psalm 18:2)

A little something around the eyes...shadow, liner, mascara. Pray for protection for your eyes...from "vile things"(Psalm 101:3) from "worthless things" (Psalm 119:37). Pray for God to help you to see the good around you, the good in other people.(I don't have a verse for that one.) Pray Ephesians 1:18, that "the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints." And pray to "fix [your] eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith."

Perhaps some blush. I don't really know where to go with this one. Just pray for God to keep you from things that would make you blush. Pray that for your spouse and your children too.

Some loose powder to blend and form a protective cover. Pray for God's protection and annointing for yourself and those you love. Isaiah 51:16 says, "I have put My words in your mouth and covered you with the shadow of My hand-I who set the heavens in place, who laid the foundations of the earth, and who say...,'You are my people.'" Mmmm, I love that! We are His! Oh, how He loves you and me.

Lastly, lipstick! First, pray to smile. Pray that you will "not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs...." (Ephesians 4:29) "Let your conversation be always full of grace...." (Colossians 4:6)

Lord, thank You for being enthralled with my beauty. "I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well." (Psalm 139:14) Lord, live in me today. May I be a reflection of you to those I meet.

Mom, I love you. I love that you are my mom. I love that I have this connection to you and your time with God that I miss when I am not at home. God uses you to encourage and inspire me more than you know.CKB